Danube River – photo by Karen

You might get aggravated by a product or service. Your bags get damaged on a flight, your new wireless speakers stop working, or you experience bad customer service from your 5-star hotel.

How do you complain in today’s connected world?

I have just returned from a great trip from Prague to Budapest to Passau to Tuscany. Nice!

Part of our trip was on a Viking Longship gliding along the Danube River. My husband and I were really disappointed with the cruise line and I decided to complain. Here are some tips on “how” to complain:

1. Wait a few days to gain perspective.
2. No matter how aggravated you are, do not be rude. It doesn’t help your situation and probably will just escalate your irritation.
3. If you talk to a customer service person – you will be recorded. How do you want to be represented?
4. If you take your complaint to their website or to a third-party website like Trip Advisor – again – please remember that your comments are “out there” into perpetuity. Will your rant embarrass you in the future?

We live in a data-filled world. Even when you are justified in your complaint, be aware of how your words become a permanent record. You want to speak for yourself with gravitas no matter what the context.

Karen Cortell Reisman, M.S., author of 3 books and President of Speak For Yourself®, works with organizations on how to communicate to make more money. It’s all in how you speak for yourself. Read more at www.SpeakForYourself.com/blog/